Mr Midas

With three of the four domestic Classics in the locker and four Group 1 wins in the space of just over a month, Jean-Claude Rouget is firing like never before and Thursday's G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris at Saint-Cloud features one of his stable's premier performers in Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Disappointing when only eighth in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club over 10 1/2 furlongs here June 5, Al Shaqab Racing's chestnut may have had two valid excuses for that below-par effort as he fared badly from a wide draw and raced on unsuitably soft ground. Previously, he had won the G2 Prix Hocquart by six lengths over 10 furlongs at Deauville May 15 and a return to that form would see him a touch nut to crack. Successful on a record 13 occasions in this race,

Andre Fabre saddles three with serious chances headed by Godolphin's Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). After winning the G2 Prix Greffulhe over a mile and a quarter at Saint-Cloud May 8, he was eighth in the June 4 G1 Epsom Derby and has questions to answer here, which is not the case for the same operation's Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d'Oro). He may be more progressive than Cloth of Stars at this stage, as he stepped up from a win in the Listed Prix de l'Avre on heavy ground over this course and distance May 23 to be a highly creditable fourth in the Jockey Club. “Cloth of Stars is having his first run since the Derby, so is on a bit of a recovery mission,” Fabre commented. “He appears outwardly to have recovered well and his work has been good. This is only his second try over 12 furlongs and his last try in the Derby was inconclusive. He goes on any type of ground, so should not be inconvenienced if the thunderstorms materialise. Talismanic ran a brave race in the Jockey Club and he is a lovely horse with a very genuine attitude. He is best served by cut in the ground, so if it rains heavily he will not be inconvenienced. He is in great form and while he hasn't quite shown himself up to this level just yet, he should run well.”

Fabre also saddles the Wertheimers's totally unexposed Maniaco (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), a son of the 2010 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud heroine Plumania (GB) (Anabaa) who broke his maiden over this course and distance on heavy ground May 24 before being taken out of the G3 Prix du Lys here last month due to the testing ground. In his absence, that prep was captured by Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard's Spring Master (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) who had previously finished runner-up to Talismanic in the Prix de l'Avre and who needs to find improvement to figure in this company. Ronnie Arculli's Red Verdon (Lemon Drop Kid) contests his third Group 1 in just over five weeks, having been sixth in the Epsom Derby and fourth in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh June 25. Trainer Ed Dunlop is hoping that the forecast downpours arrive. “The horse arrived safely and all is well,” he commented. “He didn't get the rub of the green in the Derby and was too far back in the Irish Derby.”